Take the Bitter With the Sweet
by The PalletShipping Ninja
Summary: Mac's awkward late night visit at Foster's after an encounter with sugar loses him his first girlfriend.


Mac's awkward late night visit at Foster's after an encounter with sugar loses him his first girlfriend.

Take the Bitter With the Sweet

"…Ugh… what happened to me…?" Mac rubbed the side of his head and glanced around. He was lying on the lawn outside of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, resting beside the huge willow tree. As he shivered in the cold night air the realisation dawned on him that he was left only in his shirt and boxers. Where his jeans, socks and shoes had gone were beyond him.

This also meant that Kelly had probably ran half a mile by now.

"Great…"

Feeling babyish tears pricking his eyelids, he squeezed his eyes shut and got to his feet, brushing himself off and stumbling up to the front door. For a moment he contemplated how he was going to explain what had happened, before realising that everybody at Foster's already knew about his 'condition'… and though it would be a little embarrassing, he could still count on them not to laugh at him.

His knuckles hitting the large doors seemed louder than ever now it was late; his mother was probably wondering where he was. She'd be worried, Terrence would be watching television and thinking of ways to milk the situation once Mac arrived back home. The usual routine. He thought in the six years since he'd started visiting Foster's, his life would've changed even a little, but this entire scenario - waking up after a bad sugar-related incident and having to fill in the blanks over a hot drink and blanket at Foster's - had become all too familiar to him. He was well used to it now, although still found it increasingly embarrassing since most kids had long since grown out of becoming this hyper after a sugar rush.

As the door opened, he blushed upon realising it was Frankie stood before him. What with being the caretaker, he really should've expected as such, but it still startled him, making him feel more vulnerable than ever.

"Mac? What are you doing here so late?" She glanced down and a hand flew to her mouth. "Oh god, you didn't get mugged, did you?"

He shook his head. "Frankie, this was all me."

She then realised what he was talking about and her expression softened. "Oh, Mac…" Then she gestured for him to come inside. "Come on, we'd best get you sorted out."

Nodding dumbly, he followed her into the building and sat down in the main room, shivering as the sudden warmth hit him. Wilt was sat on the couch watching television as he entered, startled when Mac appeared nervously in the doorway.

"Mac? Uh, hey there! Uh… what are you doing here?" Wilt asked.

"…I don't know," he sighed. "I don't know how I ended up here of all places… I just know that my 'condition' had something to do with it."

Wilt's face flooded with sympathy. "Oh, I get it. Well, sit down little man. I'll see if I can sort out something for you to wear."

"Thanks," he muttered, feeling like the biggest loser in the world.

As Wilt headed up the staircase, Frankie entered the sitting room with three steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

"Here," she said warmly, handing one to him. He cupped it in his hands and she took a seat beside him. "So, Mac… can you remember much of what happened?"

He shook his head. "Me and Kelly were at the movies, I think… I bought her some popcorn since she wanted some, but I didn't have any. It was a mushy film, I guess, cause she was crying at the end of it. She looked so vulnerable and I just couldn't… hold back…" His face reddened. "I… her mouth…"

"You kissed this Kelly girl?" Frankie spluttered. "Gosh, Mac, I didn't… I didn't realise she was your _girlfriend_!"

"Yeah," he muttered, keeping his eyes cast downward. He took a gulp of his hot chocolate and sighed. "It was the sugar popcorn she wanted… so I guess when I… you know… her lips must have been sugary or something."

"So that's when you went on a sugar rampage and found yourself outside Foster's?" Frankie sighed. "Wow, tough break, Mac. I thought perhaps she was a friend who maybe knew about it… that's too bad. Do you think she'll understand?"

"I don't know," he sighed glumly. "She's so nice, and pretty… I think she was probably scared more than anything. Freaked out, you know? If it weren't me with the problem, I know I'd be alarmed by the whole thing…"

"If she understands, you'll know she's worth it," Frankie shrugged. "People have to bend to the flaws of others if they truly care about them, so don't be too upset if she's not the one. Somewhere out there is that perfect person that fits you just right, and you're going to have plenty of wrong turns along the way. Remember that, if anything like this happens again."

"It was our first date, though," he blurted out, lips trembling. "I wanted everything to be perfect, and I… I screwed it up…"

Frankie sighed dramatically and shook her head. "Though it may hurt now, Mac, girlfriends and boyfriends come and go. I can confidently say I've had my fair share of disasters when it comes to dating, so what happened is pretty normal. Well, the basic concept of embarrassing yourself, anyway."

"Glad to hear it," he replied glumly. He glanced over at her. "So you've screwed up this spectacularly in the past, too?"

"Uh huh. I was about sixteen when I had my first date. A guy from the softball team. Tall, dark haired, brown eyes. A masterpiece. Anyway, we went out for pizza after a game, and I'd tried so hard to pick out an outfit that he'd like to see me in. Eric - that was his name - he said it looked cute, and you know, I was happy. He was a great guy, and we had a good time. Afterwards, he was driving me back to Foster's - this was before I got my licence - and…" She buried her head in her hands, still shaking with silent laughter a good minute or so later.

Max prodded her. "Come on, don't stop the story there. What happened?"

"Right, right. Um…" She looked over at him and grinned, face pink. "Well, he pulled up about a block away. I was getting ready to get out of his car when he leaned over and kissed me. It was amazing, and, well, I got so caught up in the moment… we started doing things with our hands, putting them god knows where, as stupid teenagers do, and then… oh god… and then, he squeezed me in a place and I was so surprised that I released the door handle suddenly and fell out of the car!"

Frankie began to laugh harder as Mac stared, shocked. "Man, it was so embarrassing! I'm glad I was wearing shorts and not a skirt or it would've been much more awkward. I was sprawled on the floor, shirt all crumpled around the chest, looking like a complete idiot. The funny thing is, he started laughing! He started laughing at me, for falling out of the car, and it must've looked so hilarious, but I was so mortified by the whole thing that I slammed the door shut and ran the rest of the way. I was just so embarrassed, I couldn't tell Grandma about what happened for a week."

She exhaled loudly, still chuckling. "So you see, Mac, everyone has their fair share of embarrassing first dates. It's totally normal to screw up the first time. My friend Cathy never had it easy, either… her girlfriend freaked out the first time they kissed because Cathy's nose started to bleed while it was happening. I mean, can you imagine that?"

Mac let out a breath and leaned back, wide eyed.

"I mean, I guess this doesn't make me feel quite so stupid now…" He grimaced. "Even so, how am I supposed to face Kelly again now? She must be so afraid of me. I only know second hand what I'm like when I get like that, I can't imagine how it must feel to be the one having to see it."

"Well, here's a very fitting saying for you to remember: if this Kelly girl really likes you, she's gotta take the bitter with the sweet. And she will. If she really likes you, she'll stick around regardless of what happened tonight, all right?"

"I guess so. I mean, I honestly don't know what to think; if she still likes me regardless that means she's just crazy, doesn't it?"

Frankie began to laugh, and at that moment Wilt entered the room again with some old jeans and faded green tennis shoes (presumably from Harry, one of the only imaginary friends in the house with a human physique) for Mac to borrow.

As Mac pulled them on, Wilt asked, "So how exactly did all this happen, Mac?"

"A date that went wrong. Sugar popcorn. Long story."

"Ah," Wilt uttered with a nod, seemingly understanding.

The evening stretched on into night as Frankie told more embarrassing stories regarding her infamous relationships over the years, Wilt and Mac listening and laughing at the appropriate moments. At last, when the hot chocolate had been drunk and the trio were warmed up, Frankie offered to drive Mac home and the two piled into the Foster's bus, waving to Wilt from the window as spots of rain began to cloud the screen. Once they pulled up outside Mac's apartment building, Frankie stopped the car and cranked up the fuzzy Foster's bus radio. The two sang along to a track by The Reivers before Mac decided it was time to face his mother's wrath for being out past curfew.

"Now, you call up this Kelly girl tomorrow, all right? I'm sure if you just explain things to her…"

"I doubt it, but I guess it's worth a shot." He climbed out and sighed loudly. "Well, I screwed up royally either way, so I guess I taught myself a lesson for getting too cocky on a first date."

"Don't think of it as karma! Think of it as a learning experience!" Frankie grinned encouragingly, before waving and winding up the window. She watched as he trudged down the slab path leading up to his apartment building and made sure he was safely inside before starting up the engine again and driving away.

* * *

A/N: It's been a while since I wrote for this show, so forgive me if my characterisation is a little rusty. It's been over a year since I started writing this fic, which is incredible since it's so short. I went through a relapse of needing to watch FHFIF earlier today and it reminded me that I never finished this fic, so here it is. Sugarhigh!Mac has always been a favourite of mine so I'm happy to have finally written the aftermath of one of his misfortunate encounters with sugar.

Harry (mentioned only once above) is from a fic I wrote a long time ago, Somewhat Admirable, on my old account. I don't know when I intend on picking it up again but I love his character and he felt like the only plausible reason they would have human clothes at the Home. (Kelly was also from a FHFIF fic I once planned on writing, but it didn't work out. I love her a lot, though). I like the little world in this show and want to explore it more some day, so expect some more fics from me soon!


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